Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-27
EASTERN NEWS.
A Chicago Pork-Packing
House in Flames.
IMMENSE LOSSES SUSTAINED.
The StOck-yards Narrowly Escape
Observation-Disclosures Killed
by Falling Walls.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
CHICAGO, June GA million and u
quarter dollars went up in smoke at the
Union Stock Yards to-day. Early this
morning an employee of the Chicago
Packing and Provision Company discov.
cred fire in the tank room. In a few
minutes one of the tanks exploded, scat
tering the burning lard over the ada.
cent buildings and dozen fires were soon
competing with each other in the de-
struction of the immense establishment.
The fire was not put out until this even.
ing, fourteen and half hours after its
start and a tive.acre oven will remain
ON the premises red hot for a couple
of days. In this territory were four
large buildings of the packing company,
the main building being 600 by 455 feet.
This with the exception of the curing
room, which was saved with its contents
of 1900, 900 pounds of short ribs in
damaged condition, is total loss. On
tuC Gu6t cAuC VI tAS hldlI buiiulhS Was
warehouse OF four stories and basement
and containing 1900 barrels of mess
pork belonging to Armour. This build.
ing aud most of the pork WAS totally
destroyed. Between 600 and 700 hogs
were cremated. Back of the main
building was the fertilizing factory, 100
feet square, Snd the engine house, 500
by 600 feet, both of which were com.
pletely destroyed.
CLOSE CALL.
The fact that no wind was blowing
was probably the only circumstance
that saved the entire stockyards from
destruction. Before the fire department
could respond to the first alarm the
flames had gained a headway that no
amount of water could reduce. Twenty
six engines and every reservoir in the
yards were brought into play, and all
of the firemen and hundreds of the
stockmen and employees, efforts were
bent towards keeping the contlagration
confined to the works of the Chicago
company. About this time more tanks
exploded, and heavy beams went
smashing into the freight Car
where several tiremen were stationed,
breaking Fireman Bakers ankle and
knocking Lieutenant Elliott unconsc cious.
Soon af,erward the walls of the ware
house fell to the ground, disclosing great
hesps of mess pork which two or three
hundred of Armour's men were at work
removing as best they could. After the
flames had consumed most of the wood
work OF the building, thel fire still held
its sway in the great mounds of burning
meat. The suffocating fumes from this
and the binding dust from the falling
walls of brick made the task of the fire
men terrible one and many of them
were well nigh overcome.
SAVING THE STOCK.
The most exciting scene of the day
was presented when the men were at
tempting to drive out the live hogs in
the upper stories while below were
scores Of wofkmen rolling out barrels of
pork. Down en- the crowd pell NELL
leaped dozens of hogs maddened by
their burns, jumping from windows and
through hatchways. The workmen be-
low were compelled to flee for their
lives. In the afternoon when a number
of tiremen were trying to save the short
ribs in the curing room a division wall
fell, injuring Thomas Murphy so seri-
ously that he died four hours later, and
five other tiremen received severe
wounds. Armour values his loss at
$780, 900, but thinks Che salvage insur-
ance will make him even. The plant of
the Chicago Company was valued at
$500, 600 and the stock at 100000.
About half of tho two thousand en-
ployes will be thrown out of work.